BBC have got the story in balance now. They even pointed to the rising numbers in education instead of unemployed.And, to their credit, they did a feature on R2 about people who have accepted lower wages or fewer hours instead of unemployment. There was a large response.

The figures are actually wide of the mark and have been since Maggie was in power, and of course adapted by the present shower, the figures do not contain the unemployed who are no longer able to claim because of restrictions on those who are able to claim unemployment benefit, i.e. capital restrictions ( persons who saved while they were working, instead of frittering it away on must have holidays, high living etc) I was one such person many years ago, it means that the system is slanted at the catch a rabbit, kill it and eat it mentality. There are a lot of jobs in the care sector but the money is basic.